INDYCAR News for the Weeks of March 25 – April 7, 2019

The Open Wheel’s Sunday Barber photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s Sunday race day photo gallery of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/7/2019)

The Open Wheel’s Friday & Saturday Barber photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s practice and qualifying photo gallery of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/6/2019)

Hinchcliffe leads Practice 3 at Barber – Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports’ James Hinchcliffe was quickest for the second straight session in Practice 3 for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park with a lap of 1:08.7351. The full Top 5 was Hinchcliffe, Bourdais, Dixon, Herta, and Sato. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/6/2019)

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Hinchcliffe fastest in Practice 2 at Barber – Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports’ James Hinchcliffe’s lap of 1:08.9994 was fastest in Practice 2 for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park. The full Top 5 was Hinchcliffe, Herta, Ferrucci, Bourdais, and Rossi. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/5/2019)

Gateway announces NASCAR trucks to pair with INDYCAR in ’20 – “Gateway Motorsports Park officials today confirmed that its NTT IndyCar Series 500 and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series 200 will take place on the same weekend in 2020. NASCAR released the 2020 Truck Series schedule earlier this week and announced the seventh annual Gateway Truck Series event will take place on Friday, August 21, 2020. The fourth annual Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline for the NTT IndyCar Series will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2020.” Full release at the link. – Gateway MSP – (4/5/2019)

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DragonSpeed announces IndyCar reserve driver – Per the Indianapolis Star’s Jim Ayello DragonSpeed LLC has announced 22 year old James Allen “will join its IndyCar program as a development driver, testing at several tracks this season alongside regular driver Ben Hanley.” – Jim Ayello – (4/5/2019)

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The Open Wheel’s Barber preview – The Open Wheel’s preview of the NTT IndyCar Series Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama weekend at Barber Motorsports Park is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/4/2019)

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HSR announces GESS as primary sponsor for Barber – “GESS International is joining Harding Steinbrenner Racing as primary sponsor of the #88 Honda-powered Indy car for this weekend’s Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and as an associate sponsor of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. An energy service company with twenty-one years of energy efficiency and renewable energy experience, Gess International hopes to continue Colton Herta’s winning momentum following his first-place finish at the Circuit of the Americas in the INDYCAR Classic.” Check it out on our No. 88 livery page here. Full release at the link. – Harding Steinbrenner Racing – (4/4/2019)

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NBC adds Dale Jr. to Indy 500 broadcast team – “Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of racing’s most popular personalities and an NBC Sports motorsports analyst, will attend his first Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26, as a member of NBC Sports’ broadcast team when the 103rd iteration of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing airs on NBC for the first time…In addition to Earnhardt Jr., NBC Sports motorsports host Krista Voda and reporter Rutledge Wood will contribute to the network’s Indy 500 presentation.” Full release at the link. – NBC Sports – (4/3/2019)

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McLaren partner Huski Chocolate joins the team’s Indy 500 program – “McLaren Racing and Huski Chocolate today announced an extension of their partnership that will see the brands come together at this year’s Indianapolis 500, where McLaren and driver Fernando Alonso will compete at the 103rd running of the historic sporting event. Huski Chocolate was announced as a multi-year partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team in February 2019. This extension will see Huski Chocolate represented on the McLaren-Chevrolet and on Fernando’s racesuit, along with the McLaren team apparel at the Indy 500.” Full release at the link. – McLaren – (4/3/2019)

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Ericsson breaks down driving differences between NTT IndyCar Series and F1 – Motorsport.com’s David Malsher has posted an excellent piece with Marcus Ericsson on how the Swede is adapting to the NTT IndyCar Series thus far and the differences between driving in the series versus his recent past in Formula 1. Full story at the link. – Motorsport.com – (4/3/2019)

Trackside podcast 4/2/19 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 4/2/19 is a great listen as always. – 1070 The Fan – (4/3/2019)

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Barber spotter guide – The spotter guide for the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/2/2019)

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Barber entry list – The entry list for the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/2/2019)

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IMS unveils ’19 Indy 500 pace car – “The 2019 Corvette Grand Sport will serve as the Official Pace Car for the 2019 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, leading 33 drivers to the green flag on May 26 for the 103rd running of the legendary race. It marks the 16th time a Corvette has served as the Pace Car, starting in 1978, and the 30th time a Chevrolet has led the field dating back to 1948, when a 1948 Fleetmaster Six convertible paced the race. No other brand or vehicle has served as the 500 Pace Car more than Chevrolet and the Corvette, respectively.” Full release at the link. – IMS – (4/1/2019)

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McLaren teases Indy 500 livery for Alonso – McLaren has teased part of their livery design for the 103rd Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. Check it out on our No. 66 livery page here. – McLaren – (4/1/2019)

Trackside podcast 3/26/19 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 3/26/19 is a great listen as always. Oliver Askew is a guest on the show. – 1070 The Fan – (3/27/2019)

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NASCAR moves 2020 Brickyard 400 to 4th of July weekend at IMS – “The Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard Powered by Florida Georgia Line will move to Fourth of July weekend starting in 2020, creating a new marquee summer event in Indianapolis and on the national sporting calendar. The 27th annual NASCAR event weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will take place July 3-5, 2020 on the 2.5-mile oval, with the Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race taking place Sunday, July 5… Along with FGL Fest, the Driven2SaveLives BC39 powered by NOS Energy Drink United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midget Championship event also will move to the new NASCAR event week in July 2020. The Speedway will also look to add special events and activations to the weekend schedule as part of its embrace of the holiday weekend.” Full release at the link. – IMS – (3/26/2019)

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Herta becomes youngest winner in IndyCar history with COTA victory – Harding Steinbrenner Racing rookie Colton Herta became the youngest winner in NTT IndyCar Series history with a victory at the inaugural INDYCAR Classic at Circuit of The Americas. Herta was 18 years, 11 months, 25 days old on race day. The final Top 5 order was Herta, Newgarden, Hunter-Reay, Rahal, and Bourdais. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (3/24/2019)

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Askew completes perfect weekend at COTA with Lights Race 2 win – Andretti Autosport’s Oliver Askew won from pole in Indy Lights Race 2 at Circuit of The Americas to complete a perfect weekend by leading the practice session and winning from pole in each of the two races. The full Top 5 was Askew, Megennis, Malukas, VeeKay, and Falchero. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (3/24/2019)

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Power wins the pole at COTA – Team Penske’s Will Power won the pole for the INDYCAR Classic at Circuit of The Americas with a Firestone Fast 6 lap of 1:46.0177. The full Firestone Fast 6 order was Power, Rossi, Hunter-Reay, Herta, Rosenqvist, and Dixon. Rosenqvist had the fastest overall time of 1:45.4542 in Round 2. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (3/23/2019)

Wheldon and Jenkins elected to IMS HOF – “Two beloved figures in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history have been elected to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame: two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon, and longtime motorsports radio and television personality and IMS Public Address announcer Bob Jenkins. The two were chosen from a ballot of 14 nominees by a distinguished panel of more than 140 auto racing journalists, participants and historians. Wheldon and Jenkins will be formally inducted into the elite group Thursday, May 23 at the 2019 IMS Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Indianapolis 500 Oldtimers Dinner, presented by Firestone, at the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott.” Full release at the link. – IMS Museum – (3/20/2019)

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NBC announces Danica will be on Indy 500 broadcast team – “Danica Patrick, one of motorsports’ most popular figures, will join NBC Sports’ inaugural coverage of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge when drivers start their engines for the 103rd iteration of the race on Sunday, May 26. This year marks the first time that the Greatest Spectacle in Racing has been broadcast on NBC. The former IndyCar and NASCAR driver will serve as a studio analyst on race day, contributing to NBC Sports’ pre-race, in-race, and post-race coverage alongside host Mike Tirico. Patrick will also participate in NBC Sports’ coverage of Indy 500 Pole Day on Sunday, May 19.” Full release at the link. – NBC Sports – (3/20/2019)